ABOVE: American Stage Adult Education Associate Patrick A. Jackson. Photo courtesy Jackson.
ST. PETERSBURG | American Stage Education unveiled its virtual academy’s fall class schedule Aug. 27, detailing a new course examining the LGBTQ community’s impact on American theatre.
American Stage is Tampa Bay’s longest-running professional theatre company. Its virtual academy launched earlier this year in response to COVID-19 to provide safe, accessible opportunities for students and artists to continue their education.
“In a world navigating new challenges, the American Stage Virtual Academy has become a bright spot where we see growth, innovation and people coming together to learn, explore their artistic voice, discover new ideas and create,” American Stage’s Director of Education and Outreach Tiffany Ford explains. “Our youth and adult classes this fall dig into new, relevant topics intended to empower our students, and inspire connection, reflection and creative expression.”
Its forthcoming session of programming runs Sept. 16-Dec. 8. LGBTQIA Theatre Legacy, new this fall, will be held for eight weeks Oct. 8-Dec. 3, with no class on Thanksgiving. It was originally scheduled for Sept. 17-Nov. 5, American Stage shared Sept. 15, but extended to give more students additional time to enroll.
“Celebrate the rich contributions of queer identifying theatres, artists and creatives and their continued impact in American Theatre,” the course description reads. “Join American Stage Adult Education Associate, Patrick A. Jackson, who will lead an exploration of curated texts, articles and digital media capturing the history and creative work of impactful LGBTQIA theatre artists.”
Held virtually each Thursday from 6:30-8 p.m., students will engage in active discussions before crafting a final presentation to share with their peers. The course is open to all and costs $165. American Stage also shared additional details via social media:
Jackson, an actor and educator who received his B.A. in Drama from Morehouse College and studied with the British American Drama Academy, utilized his background in theatre history to conceptualize the class. It follows the African American Theatre Legacy he led in the spring.
“The class went really well,” he reflects. “It was a great way for us to talk about the contributions of non-majority groups.”
In discussing its success with Ford, he felt the concept warranted a series examining other marginalized groups. As a Black member of the LGBTQ community, Jackson saw LGBTQ theater history as the next logical step.
“There are a lot of great contributions that other groups have made in the theatre industry,” he explains. “I don’t think we always highlight that when we’re looking at the larger canon. As a teacher it’s always easy to start with the thing that I identify with first.”
The course will be geared toward discovery and discussion. It will also examine how participants can subsequently uplift the community which has impacted the craft. “I’m excited to dive into this material and explore it with the students,” Jackson says.
He sees it as a perfect fit not only for the virtual academy but for the theatre company as a whole. “American Stage’s shorthand mission is ‘Powerful Stories, Boldly Told,’” he explains. “If we are going to be an anchor organization in this community we need to offer not only stage programming, but educational programming that can connect with the community. This is a perfect opportunity for us to do that.”
Additional fall courses will explore tools and techniques required to write comedic sketches, explore one-person plays examining social justice and more. Online enrollment is now open and closes 24 hours prior to each course’s respective start date. Enrollment is typically open until one week after the first class.
“American Stage has been in the community for 40+ years now and we’re still working to present great content virtually,” Jackson says. “We have something for everyone to take part in, whether it’s seeing a show or learning something new.”
To learn more about American Stage, its virtual academy or to register for LGBTQIA Theatre Legacy, visit AmericanStage.org/MasterClasses.
